October 19, 2013

A place to discuss the sports stories that aren't making news, share links that aren't quite front-page material, and diagram plays on your hand. Remember to count to five Mississippi before commenting in anger.

Now, the New York Times has bought into this rubbish by running the following subhead for Tyler Kepner's article on the Cardinals' pennant-clinching win, which appears on the front page of the NYT website this morning:

St. Louis was eager to eliminate the Los Angeles Dodgers for a lot of reasons. Lifting Carlos Beltran to his first World Series was one of them.

In the article, they don't reference any of the other reasons, which is bullshit. They just talk about Beltran. Teasing and hooking their way into what some idiot editor assumes is prevailing national sentiment.

I did not think that the Dodgers-Cardinals series was going to turn into a culture war pitting Frank Zappa and Allen Iverson against Norman Rockwell and Orrin Hatch.

I hope the Cardinals kick some AL ass so everyone can continue to hate the Cardinals for things like:
Having passionate fans and embracing the franchises history and all that mean, terrible stuff that people seem so pissed about. Guess the new fad here is to couple on to your favorite deadspin writer and pretend its a song you've been singing all along. But the fancy music and words aren't fooling anyone, really. It just boils down to "your team sucks and I hope they lose, because my team isn't playing anymore this season". Funny thing is, the reason for this new found irritation seemingly has very little to do with the actual game of baseball, and more with how the flyover state conducts it's business. Huh. Whatever. I promise if I get to celebrate a 12 th WS in a couple weeks, I won't be considering your feelings at all. It's fucking baseball.

I just want the Cards to lose because I'm a Rangers fan twice one strike from a World Series championship. That's some bitter beer.

The knock on the Cards isn't that they have passionate fans. It's that they are fans of themselves as fans, sports journalists are fans of them as fans, and there's a tolerable limit of that the other 29 fanbases could be expected to endure before it becomes a good reason to enjoy their misfortune.

If misfortune ever were to befall the franchise, of course. But it doesn't seem to be in the cards.

continue to hate the Cardinals for things like: Having passionate fans

Wouldn't it be more accurate to say the hate is for people who think they are the only team with a passionate fanbase? And let's talk about that passion. If Boston gets dinged every time a fan of a Boston sports team says something racist on Twitter after a loss, let's at least acknowledge the torrent of homophobia and racism coming out of a St. Louis win. As a fan of Boston sports teams I'm going to offer a small bit of advice from a coastal state: ignore the haters because they target whomever is winning, but also acknowledge that every team has sub-human shits of fans who spoil things for the rest of the bunch. Don't try to protect the shield, just enjoy the run and don't read the comments.

Wouldn't it be more accurate to say the hate is for people who think they are the only team with a passionate fanbase?

I agree with that. I personally can appreciate one's individual love for their team - as I have my own. I don't think I've ever heard anyone suggest that the Card's fans are the only passionate fanbase in baseball. I didn't hear that while growing up in StL, and not since I've moved. But having those other fanbases complain because StL loves it's team so, so much, is silly. I love my team and hate yours, but I don't hate your team because of it's fans. There are plenty of other reasons for that. :)

ignore the haters because they target whomever is winning, but also acknowledge that every team has sub-human shits of fans who spoil things for the rest of the bunch. Don't try to protect the shield, just enjoy the run and don't read the comments.

This.

It use to bother me too. Still does a little bit, but best to ignore it. The Boston fan base went from lovable losers, to hated, in a matter of a few years (04-07). I haven't changed, so that's really strange. Of course, any team that suddenly wins gains band wagon fans, and that's annoying of course. But the base is still the same.

But screw it. I'd rather win. My father spent 50 years rooting for a team that never won. I'm sure he would have traded the lovable loser label for a championship. And I feel lucky to have witnessed 2 world championships. Because I know at any time the Red Sox could go another 80 years in futility. They've done it before.

Look at it this way, any fan that is spending time complaining about your team/fan base is probably a fan of a team that yours has been kicking their ass. Your team is probably in the playoffs, and theirs is probably on a golf course. Rays fans get on my nerves (all 3 of them), but I know that's because they've been a thorn in Boston's side for a while now more than anything else. Every team has annoying fans, winning teams just have more.

I'm getting to watch the Red Sox in some amazingly exciting playoff games. Maybe they make it to the WS, maybe they don't. But the chance and experience is worth a thousand "I don't care who wins the WS, as long as it isn't the Red Sox" remarks. Like the kids say: "Haterz gonna hate" (or something like that).

Ignoring the complete brain freeze by Fielder when he was running towards home plate (seriously...he was at least half way there when he stopped), I understand what he was trying to do when he dove there.

I feel bad for Tigers starters, having to walk off the mound trusting that bullpen to make big pitches.

Thinking about what Fielder will be like as he ages into his current contract is an ugly thought. Pedroia had to be as happy as a defensive player could ever be seeing a 400 pound mass caught between third and home. Smaller guys charge home and plow over the catcher; Fielder, who's the size of a small car, gets in a rundown and slides (?) back to third, stopping 10 feet from the base?

I agree about the World Series announcers. Fans should get to vote for who they'd want to call these games. You might as well bring Lou Brock, Bob Gibson, and Whitey Herzog in as commentators.

Fielder has been awful in the playoffs. He has made a career out of finishing the season in September

I watched Fielder a couple of times when he was playing for the Huntsville (Alabama) Stars in AA. His reputation was one of being a feared slugger, and indeed he could put on a show in BP, but his performance in games, while pretty good, didn't seem to bear it out. With the Tigers he looks like a caricature of the over sized, can't get out of his own way hitter.

Detroit was a 2-dimensional team in the playoffs. Their power numbers were excellent during the season, and their starting pitching was outstanding - and that's an understatement. While Boston's starters were not as good and their power numbers were somewhat overshadowed by Detroit's, Boston had a number of other things in their game toward which they could turn.